A New Recruit
by history101
Summary: Oneshot for 'The Batman' universe of the 2004 Warner Bros. series, takes place after the last episode but also uses ideas from the 'Justice League' cartoon. It's basically my version of the Bat trio meeting the newest member of the Justice League; Wonder Woman for the first time, ignoring the timeline of the 'J.L' cartoon.


A.N. I suppose this can be used in the same universe as my other one shot; 'After the Clayface', and I'd appreciate any comments you have! Of course, I don't own any of the characters, unless you didn't already know; they all all property of DC comics, yadda, yadda, yadda...

* * *

It was a quiet, rainy day in Gotham city; while the rain was not unusual the quiet certainly was. Gotham was a busy city with its huge central business district littered with crime, celebrities and general normality of another day.

Billionaire Bruce Wayne, called Gotham's White Knight, was free to live his life during these days while the nights belonged to the Batman, the Dark Knight. There was a distinct contrast between the two personas, but somehow Bruce never got confused.

The Dark Knight had been born of rage, hate and despair, he prowled the dark streets and stared at criminals from above. He was both feared and respected by the people of Gotham...for good reasons. An angry Batman was not something anyone wanted to be on the receiving end of. He was the embodiment of darkness and lived in the shadows; he was a lonely ghost.

Bruce Wayne on the other hand had been born out of love, he had been born of privilege and into one of the world's most wealthiest families. He was the opposite to the Dark Knight in every way imaginable. He was not a fighter or a recluse...at least that's what people thought. He was a lover of parties, a happy-go-lucky womaniser and a renowned philanthropist as his father had been before his untimely murder.

Both knights had a power to affect the world; one through fear and the other through money.

The Batman had returned from his nightly wanderings several hours ago and was currently sat under the engine of the new and improved Batwing plane as he tinkered with the engine in the caves under his manor. He heard the sounds of Batgirl and Robin attempting to stop the training robot from splatting them on the ground as he took up the wrench from the floor.

Since it was a Saturday the two kids took the time to train while the rain continued to pour outside the manor. Batgirl and Robin breathed heavily as the metal arm of the robot crashed down on the floor just missing Robin's cape by a hair.

"Don't cut it too close," Bruce said without even looking over at them from his work.

"How's he always do that?" Robin asked as he jumped up on his feet again.

Without speaking Barbra pointed up at the bats that hung from the stalactites on the roof of the cave. Some of the house's foundations could be seen as well and the bats fluttered and squeaked above their heads. "It's a bat thing I guess," the girl smirked and the boy joined in laughing.

Soon after, Alfred, Bruce's ever faithful friend and butler exited the lift carrying ice cold water and biscuits for the training teens. Who quickly switched off the robot and ran over to Alfred, they took the silver tray from his hands and sat on the ground with it.

"Master Bruce, I believe you too could take a break," Alfred called across to Bruce.

"Just a second, I've almost finished..." the man replied and in minutes he emerged from under the plane.

"Finished?" Alfred asked.

"Finished," Bruce nodded and took the glass of water that the older man held out for him.

"Watchtower to Batman," a calm voice said which made the three people in the cave look up from the activities and across at the central computer. On the screen the green face of the Martian J'onn J'onzz who took habitual command of the computers of the space station.

"What's up?" Robin asked eagerly as he flipped over to the computer.

"A new recruit," J'onn answered with a smile, "Her name's Princess Diana from Themyscira," as he spoke the screen showed a woman with long black hair wearing a gold tiara, silver manacles and a red and blue outfit. "But the press have taken to calling her Wonder Woman, Superman thought she'd be the right kind of person for the League. What do you think?"

"Why ask me?" Bruce sighed as he sat down in his chair. He was still dressed in his Batman suit but his gloves had long since been removed and his cowl was pushed back to reveal his face.

"You're a valued member of the League, it's only right that we cast a vote," the Martian replied simply.

"My priorities are in Gotham, not the League, J'onn. I can't afford to play world hero all the time," Bruce said.

"I know that, but you've proved that you work well with a team, and of course ignoring the fact that you are a world hero, I doubt that a super powered Amazon princess flying around has escaped your notice recently," he smiled.

"No," Bruce shook his head and drew his fingers together under his chin.

"And?"

"She seems...fine," the man replied vaguely.

"Fine?" J'onn repeated curiously.

"Which kind of 'fine' are we talking about, Bruce?" Robin smirked up at him but he soon turned away as his guardian glared at him.

"Go ahead and speak to her, but she doesn't seem the type to rely on others," Bruce said ignoring Robin's question.

"Neither did you," the Martian replied and glanced at Robin and Batgirl, "I'll beam you up, just wait five minutes, we're having trouble with the teleport," he said and the screen went blank.

"Wonder Woman, huh?" Robin smiled after a second, "What kind of a name is that?"

"It's better than Pixie," Batgirl smirked.

"It's Robin! Rob-in!" the boy shouted and threw a modified bat-a-rang in his colours at Batgirl but she ducked it quickly. Bruce pulled on his cowl to cover his face and picked up his gloves, pulling them over his fingers once more and brushing the dust from his cape.

"Hey, Rob-in, it looks like the boss it trying to look his best," Batgirl smirked and so too did Robin.

"Maybe they should...whoa..." Robin ducked as a well aimed bat-a-rang flew past his head just skimming over his hair. "Okay...never mind then," he frowned as he dug the weapon out of the wall where it had landed.

"Batman, we're ready," J'onn said and within seconds the trio were engulfed in bright white and blue lights as they vanished from the cave.

"I'll never get used to that," Robin moaned as he picked himself off the floor, the teleport always made him feel dizzy. It had only been completed recently. Bruce had adapted it from the technology from the Joining and with J'onn's help they'd improved the old teleport for the Watchtower.

Batman had no such problem of adapting to the strange feeling of being teleported and he stood proud before the other members of the Justice League, he hadn't expected a full meeting. There was the energetic Flash, Green Arrow and the Green Lantern, Hawkman, Superman and of course J'onn the Martian stood waiting for them.

Apart from them stood Wonder Woman herself, she looked across at the trio, to her they seemed like an odd collection of misfits but she knew that they were formidable fighters.

"Thought you hadn't talked to her yet," Batman said, his eyes narrowing at J'onn.

"I never actually said that," the green alien replied with a smile.

"Hmm," the caped man muttered and met the dark eyes of the Amazon princess across from him. She stared back with a look of determination that he himself was familiar with, but in simple terms she was beautiful. He'd seen news reports of her lifting cars, buses and planes with her bare hands, and at first glance he would have said she was like Superman.

But he knew better; any new possible threat was something he took very seriously, and as such he'd been monitoring her exploits for months. In some aspects she was very much like Superman, she stopped crimes with super strength and she had a strong sense of justice. But she seemed to have a temper that Clark Kent did not; with or without the glasses the man was a boy scout through and through. She seemed to think more highly of herself and clearly she was not lacking in confidence.

"So, this is the Batman," she said emotionlessly as she marched forwards

"Hey, Wonder Woman, he said you were...not again...whoa..." Robin broke off with a startled gasp as his mentor threw a bat-a-rang at him. He jumped just in time and the pointed weapon landed harmlessly in the wall, "Aw man," he sighed.

"That's your cue to shut up, bird boy," Batgirl smirked but her smug look vanished as Batman turned his gaze on her. "Heh heh...I'm...err...I'll get that," she smiled and pointed at the bat-a-rang, then she scurried over to retrieve it.

"Anyway, we were just discussing the activity of the League," Superman said with a smile at Batman, "And...Wonder Woman, is interested in joining us."

"Why do you need me?" Batman asked again, "It makes no difference to me who you ask to join."

"I thought you'd say that," Superman replied quickly, "But you still get a vote."

"Aren't Amazon's supposed to hate men," Batman said to Wonder Woman, not replying to Superman.

"Who says I don't?" she asked.

"A couple of things," Batman replied simply and she smiled.

"My sisters...and my mother don't approve of my actions, but I believe the world beyond Themyscira has great potential," she said confidently.

"And the men?"

"The men cannot be helped," she shrugged, "They are the lowliest of creatures, I am here for the women."

"Hey, lady, in case you hadn't...we're men!" the Flash shouted indignantly but she only glanced at him for a second.

"Men face adversity just as much as women, Princess," Batman told her with narrowed eyes.

"I've noticed," she nodded, "This is a dangerous world."

"More so than your Paradise Island," Batman added.

"How much do you know about my home?"

"More than you'd think, I've studied most things that people dismiss as fantasy," he replied.

"He's not kidding, he has me studying all of it too," Robin moaned and crossed his arms.

"You mean he tries to have you study it," Batgirl corrected him.

"I study plenty!" the boy shouted indignantly.

"You only ever use the Bat-computer to hack video cheat codes!" she countered and he shrunk a little.

"I do not!" Robin shouted again and drew his bat-a-rang ready to fight as Batgirl did the same. That was until Batman glared at them and they stopped, then put away their weapons and backed away slowly.

"Hey...the training thingy here works...right?" Batgirl asked no one in particular and J'onn nodded.

"Last one there..." Robin smiled and the two ran off, making their escape they jumped and flipped in the air as they went.

"You got this kid thing down, man," Flash chuckled, "Don't even have to say anything."

"Shame it never seems to work on you," Batman replied and the Flash blinked for a minute.

"Did he just...make a joke?" The Flash stuttered.

"I think he did," Green Arrow nodded while Batman himself rolled his eyes under his cowl at their attempt at mock-seriousness.

"Aren't they a little young for this?" Wonder Woman asked after the door closed behind Batgirl and Robin.

Batman stared at her as he recognised the very question he still asked himself daily, he worried constantly for Dick and Barbra. They were just kids! What right did he have to put them in danger night after night? But he couldn't do them, he'd tried...and failed numerous times already. He had gained new respect...even more than he already had, for Alfred after the two had joined his mission.

Alfred worried for Bruce constantly, and it was only recently that Bruce was able to understand that worry, because he had his foster son, and a girl he considered to be an unofficial relative, joining him. How had Alfred coped all these years?

"I'd like to see you stop them," Batman told her and she raised a curious eyebrow.

"Does that mean you've tried?" she asked.

"And failed," he said quietly sounding more like Bruce Wayne the foster father than the lonely Batman, and he cursed himself for the slip.

"So...about this League..." Wonder Woman began taking note of the Batman's suddenly caring tone of voice.

"Do what you want, Princess, I only have one rule," Batman said.

"What's that?"

"Stay out of Gotham, unless I say otherwise," he replied sharply and she nodded.

"Very well," she agreed and he began walking over to the controls of the super computer that he had added to over the months. "Where are you going?"

"Add in your hours," was all he said.

She turned to the others with a confused look and Superman smiled at her, "Your turn at the controls, we take turns, someone's always up here," he said. Wonder Woman only stared across at this strange, reticent man with a small smile on her face, perhaps not all men were such lowly beings after all.


End file.
